Kinetic Studies of Polyethylene Terephthalate Synthesis with Titanium-Based Catalyst

Summary: Thermogravimetric analysis and stirred tank reactor techiques were used to study the kinetic of polycondensation of bis-hydroxy ethylene terephthalate catalyzed by titanium tetrabutylate. Polycondensation reaction can be modelled best with a second order reaction with respect to hydroxyl end groups concentration. Titanium tetrabutylate is a precursor and needs preactivation for polycondensation catalysis. Kinetic data depends on the mode of operation in thermogravimetric analysis. In nonisothermal mode, the overall activation energy was determined by model-free method and the pre-exponential factor was found to be affected by catalyst concentration. The kinetic study of isothermal reaction in thermogravimetric analysis is complex due to lack of a precise way to reach desired isothermal temperature and high activity of the catalyst. Titanium catalyst shows higher activity and lower selectivity than antimony catalyst but its activity is affected by the nature of ligands.     

Non‐isocyanate synthesis and application of telechelic polyurethanes via polycondensation of diurethanes obtained from ethylene carbonate and diamines

Aliphatic polyurethanes could be obtained in high yield via a non‐isocyanate method based on the self‐polycondensation of dihydroxyurethanes obtained by the reaction of diamines and ethylene carbonate. The polycondensation under a N₂ atmosphere yielded [6,2]polyurethane with a M_n value of 5300 in 87% yield. Two‐step polycondensation, consisting of the polycondensation under a N₂ atmosphere followed by that under reduced pressure, was effective to improve the yield and the molecular weight up to 90% and 10,000, respectively. Although the second polycondensation step at 180 °C was accompanied by formation of urea groups, this side reaction was relatively suppressed at 150 °C. The resulting polyurethane having hydroxyl groups at both of the end groups was converted to polyurethane methacrylate via a reaction with glycidyl methacrylate, and the polyurethane methacrylate served as a crosslinker for radical polymerization of methyl acrylate. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2013     

Novel substituted epoxide initiators for the carbocationic polymerization of isobutylene

This article presents the first detailed account of the discovery that substituted epoxides can initiate the carbocationic polymerization of isobutylene. α‐Methylstyrene epoxide (MSE), 2,4,4‐trimethyl‐pentyl‐epoxide‐1,2 (TMPO‐1), 2,4,4‐trimethyl‐pentyl‐epoxide‐2,3 (TMPO‐2), and hexaepoxi squalene (HES) initiated isobutylene polymerization in conjunction with TiCl₄. MSE, TMPO‐2, and HES initiated living polymerizations. A competitive reaction mechanism is proposed for the initiation and propagation. According to the proposed mechanism, initiator efficiency is defined by the competition between the S_N1 and S_N2 reaction paths. A controlled initiation with external epoxides such as MSE should yield a primary hydroxyl head group and a tert‐chloride end‐group. The presence of tert‐chloride end‐groups was verified by NMR spectroscopy, whereas the presence of primary hydroxyl groups was implied by model experiments. Multiple initiation by HES was verified by diphenyl ethylene end‐capping and NMR analysis; the resulting star polymer had an average of 5.2 arms per molecule. A detailed investigation of the reaction mechanism and the characterization of the polymers are in progress. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 444–452, 2000     

The kinetics of diethylene glycol formation in the preparation of polyethylene terephthalate

For revealing diethylene glycol (DEG) formation in poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) synthesis, this research focused on finding the stage most critical for DEG formation. It is found that the esterification stage was the most critical stage for DEG formation during production of PET through the direct esterification process. In addition, the kinetics of the formation of DEG (ether bond), which is mainly produced from hydroxyl end groups of ethylene glycol (EG) and bis-hydroxyethyl terephthalate (BHET) oligomer, was investigated. The results show that the reactivity of BHET-OH functional group is greater than that of EG-OH functional group in the reaction to produce ether bonds. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 36: 3073–3080, 1998     

对-乙酰氧基苯甲酸与聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯共缩聚反应及醚键形成的研究

监测了对-乙酰氧基苯甲酸与聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯(PET)共缩聚反应过程中1HNMR图谱及特性粘度的变化,对乙酰氧基酯交换反应及乙酰脂肪酯的反应活性进行了研究。并研究了以低分子量PET或对苯二甲酸二乙二醇酯为原料时反应中醚键的形成及其进入共聚酯链的规律性。     

Long‐chain branched ROMP polymers

This article describes the construction of branched ROMP‐polymer architectures via polycondensation of AB_n‐type macromonomers. For this convergent strategy, a polymer was synthesized that carries several hydroxyl‐groups along the polymer chain and one carboxylic acid group at the chain end. An esterification reaction between these functional groups yielded long‐chain branched polymers. The polymers were analyzed by NMR and SEC to monitor the condensation reaction. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2009     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(2,5‐furan dicarboxylate)s based on a variety of diols

Novel polyesters from renewable resources based on 2,5‐dicarboxylic acid and several diols were synthesized and characterized using different polycondensation techniques. The aliphatic diols were sufficiently volatile to allow the use of polytransesterifications, which gave high‐molecular weight semicrystalline materials with good thermal stability. In particular, the polyester based on ethylene glycol displayed properties comparable with those of its aromatic counterpart, poly(ethylene terephthalate), namely, the most important industrial polyester. The use of isosorbide gave rise to amorphous polymers with very stiff chains and hence a high glass transition temperature and an enhanced thermal stability. The interfacial polycondensation between the acid dichloride and hydroquinone produced a semicrystalline material with features similar to those of entirely aromatic polyesters, characterized essentially by the absence of melting and poor solubility, both associated with their remarkable chain rigidity. The replacement of hydroquinone with the corresponding benzylic diol was sufficient to provide a more tractable polyester. This study provided ample evidence in favor of the exploitation of furan monomers as renewable alternatives to fossil‐based aromatic homologs. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

聚酯催化缩聚与热降解过程的半经验量子化学研究

以苯甲酸β-羟乙酯(BAHET)为模型反应物,采用半经验量子化学方法(PM3),分析了生成聚酯的催化缩聚与热降解机理。计算结果表明,端羟基氧与酯羰基氧是反应物与金属催化剂作用的活性位。金属催化剂与两者作用后,可以使酯羰基碳的正电性与端羟基氧的负电性增加。由于静电作用力增加,促使缩聚反应得以进行。研究结果表明,在钛系催化体系中,端羟基氧和酯醚键氧能与钛原子作用形成热力学稳定的五元环结构,它的存在将影响钛系催化体系中聚酯的热降解行为。     

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolymers containing nitroterephthalic units. III. Methanolytic degradation

The methanolytic degradation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) copolymers containing nitroterephthalic units was investigated. Random poly(ethylene terephthalate‐co‐nitroterephthalate) copolyesters (PETNT) containing 15 and 30 mol % nitrated units were prepared from ethylene glycol and a mixture of dimethyl terephthalate and dimethyl nitroterephthalate. A detailed study of the influence of the nitro group on the methanolytic degradation rate of the nitrated bis(2‐hydroxyethyl) nitroterephthalate (BHENT) model compound in comparison with the nonnitrated bis(2‐hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) model compound was carried out. The kinetics of the methanolysis of BHENT and BHET were evaluated with high‐performance liquid chromatography and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. BHENT appeared to be much more reactive than BHET. The methanolytic degradation of PET and PETNT copolyesters at 80 °C was followed by changes in the weight and viscosity, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The copolyesters degraded faster than PET, and the degradation increased with the content of nitrated units and occurred preferentially by cleavage of the ester groups placed at the meta position of the nitro group in the nitrated units. For both PET and PETNT copolyesters, an increase in crystallinity accompanied methanolysis. A surface degradation mechanism entailing solubilization of the fragmented polymer and consequent loss of mass was found to operate in the methanolysis of the copolyesters. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 2276–2285, 2002     

Catalyst‐free synthesis of polyorganosiloxanes by high temperature and pressure water. II. Understanding of the reaction process

A catalyst‐free polysiloxane synthetic process that uses high temperature and pressure water for the hydrolysis and subsequent polycondensation of phenyltrimethoxysilane was studied in detail to gain insights into the reaction mechanism. It was suggested that this process is essentially composed of two stages: (1) oligomerization of phenyltrimethoxysilane yielding low‐molecular weight species with high contents of silanol and methoxy groups and (2) polycondensation of the oligomers yielding high‐molecular weight species. The use of a preformed oligosiloxane as a starting material was informative to understand the polycondensation stage. A modified synthetic process in which a stop valve was introduced to control the internal pressure was developed based on the understanding of the present process. This modified process enabled a two‐stage reaction resulting in a discernible increase of the molecular weight of polysiloxane. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 2656–2663, 2009     

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) copolymers containing 5‐nitroisophthalic units. II. Crystallization studies

The microstructure and crystallization behavior of a set of poly(ethylene terephthalate‐co‐5‐nitroisophthalate) copolymers (PETNI) containing 5‐nitroisophthalic units in the 10–50 mol % range were examined and compared to those of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(ethylene terephthalate‐co‐isophthalate) (PETI) copolymers. A ¹³C NMR analysis of PETNI copolymers in a trifluoroacetic acid solution indicates that they are random copolymers with average sequence lengths in accordance with ideal polycondensation statistics. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies show that PETNI containing 5‐nitroisophthalic units up to 20 mol % are able to crystallize and that crystallization takes place in these copolymers at much slower rates than in PET. Wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction from powder and fibers reveals that crystallizable PETNI adopts the same triclinic crystal structure as PET, with the nitroisophthalate units being excluded from crystallites. Fourier transform infrared in combination with cross‐polarization/magic‐angle spinning ¹³C NMR spectroscopy demonstrates the occurrence of a gauche–trans conversion encompassing the crystallization process. A correlation between DSC and spectroscopic data leads us to conclude that the content of trans conformer in the noncrystallized phase of PETNI is higher than in both PET and PETI copolymers and suggests that secondary crystallization in the homopolymer must proceed by a mechanism different than that in copolymers. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 1553–1564, 2001     

Synthesis of polyester having pendent hydroxyl groups via regioselective dehydration polycondensations of dicarboxylic acids and diols by low temperature polycondensation

In this article, we describe the one‐step synthesis of polyesters having pendent hydroxyl groups by Lewis acid‐catalyzed, regioselective, dehydration polycondensations of diols (glycerol and sorbitol) and dicarboxylic acids [tartaric acid (TA) and malic acid (MA)] containing pendent hydroxyl groups, using low temperature polycondensation technique. Direct polycondensations of TA or MA and 1,9‐nonanediol catalyzed by scandium trifluoromethanesulfonate [Sc(OTf)₃] successfully yielded linear polyesters having hydroxyl functionality (M_n = ca. 1.0 × 10⁴). To demonstrate the reactivity of the pendent hydroxyl group, a glycosidation was performed. Poly(nonamethylene L ‐malate) showed significant higher biodegradability, compared with poly(nonamethylene L ‐tartrate) or poly(nonamethylene succinate). Stable poly(nonamethylene L ‐tartrate) emulsion could be prepared using poly(vinyl alcohol) as the surfactant, although emulsions consisting of poly(nonamethylene succinate) were unstable and phase‐separated within a few days. Furthermore, direct polycondensations of TA and diethylene glycol (DEG) or triethylene glycol (TEG) successfully produced water‐soluble polyesters having hydroxyl groups. This new polycondensation system may be extremely effective not only for advanced material design using functional monomers but also for effective utilization of biomass resources as chemical substances. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 5747–5759, 2009     

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) reinforced by N,N′‐diphenyl biphenyl‐3,3′,4,4′‐tetracarboxydiimide moieties

Starting with 3,3′,4,4′‐biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride and methyl aminobenzoate, we synthesized a novel rodlike imide‐containing monomer, N,N′‐bis[p‐(methoxy carbonyl) phenyl]‐biphenyl‐3,3′,4,4′‐tetracarboxydiimide (BMBI). The polycondensation of BMBI with dimethyl terephthalate and ethylene glycol yielded a series of copoly(ester imide)s based on the BMBI‐modified poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) backbone. Compared with PET, these BMBI‐modified polyesters had higher glass‐transition temperatures and higher stiffness and strength. In particular, the poly(ethylene terephthalate imide) PETI‐5, which contained 5 mol % of the imide moieties, had a glass‐transition temperature of 89.9 °C (11 °C higher than the glass‐transition temperature of PET), a tensile modulus of 869.4 MPa (20.2 % higher than that of PET), and a tensile strength of 80.8 MPa (38.8 % higher than that of PET). Therefore, a significant reinforcing effect was observed in these imide‐modified polyesters, and a new approach to higher property polyesters was suggested. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 852–863, 2002; DOI 10.1002/pola.10169     

End‐group characterization of homo‐ and copolyesters of cyclohexane‐1,4‐dimethanol

End groups after the thermal degradation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and its cyclohexanedimethanol (CHDM) copolymer were characterized with ¹H NMR. Thermally degraded polymers were obtained by heat treatment at 290 °C. For the PET homopolymer, a vinyl end group appeared, which resulted from thermal cis‐β‐elimination. For the CHDM copolymer, in addition to a vinyl end group, methylcyclohexene and cyclovinylidene end groups originating from CHDM were formed. The assignment of the ¹H NMR spectrum was performed with information from ¹³C NMR and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry. The total amounts of unsaturated species measured by NMR were compared with those estimated by bromination titration. There was good agreement between the values obtained by the two methods, indicating that all the major unsaturated species were accounted for. The mechanism of the formation of the unsaturated end groups was investigated. We suggest, on the basis of the NMR measurements, that the methylcyclohexene and cyclovinylidene groups originating from CHDM were formed by thermal cis‐β‐elimination as for the PET homopolymer. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 665–674, 2001     

Controlled polymerization of activated glycine esters by copper(II) chelate

We describe a novel method of polymerization, via the insertion of activated glycine esters into N‐salicylideneglycinato‐aquo‐copper(II) chelate ( 1 ), that uses the reactivity of the metal chelate. In the absence of 1 , a high molecular weight polyglycine was formed as a white precipitate after triethylamine was added to an N,N‐dimethylformamide solution of 4‐nitrophenyl glycinate ( 3a ). In the presence of 5 mol % 1 , however, the polymerization proceeded homogeneously. After the reaction mixture was poured into tetrahydrofuran, a condensation product of glycine was obtained. According to gel permeation chromatography analysis, the product consisted of high and low molecular weight fractions. The former and latter were obtained by self‐polycondensation and polycondensation via the insertion of 3a into 1 , respectively. So that the self‐polycondensation of activated glycinates would be depressed, 2‐chlorophenyl ( 3b ), 3‐chlorophenyl ( 3c ), 4‐chlorophenyl, and phenyl glycinates were used as less activated glycine esters. For the polymerization of 3b and 3c , the polymerization via the insertion of activated glycinates into 1 was promoted. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1504–1510, 2003     

Kinetic aspects of catalyzed reactions in the formation of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The influence of different types of catalysts on the polycondensation reaction has been studied in a model system. It has been found that two kinds of catalysts are to be distinguished. “Transesterification” catalysts (Mn, Pb, Zn) are very active in media having both a high and a low hydroxyl content. However, they are easily poisoned by very small amounts of carboxylic endgroups. This restricts their activity to the period of transesterification. The “polycondensation” catalyst antimony is insensitive to the presence of acidic endgroups. However, its activity is inversely proportional to the hydroxyl group concentration For this reason antimony is hardly effective during transesterification. During polycondensation it becomes gradually more active.     

The kinetics of diethylene glycol formation from bis-hydroxyethyl terephthalate with antimony catalyst in the preparation of PET

This research discussed the effect of the addition of antimony catalyst on diethylene glycol (DEG) formation in poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) synthesis. It was found that antimony catalyst increased DEG formation in the preparation of PET, in particular, during the esterification stage and also during the prepolycondensation stage. To further discuss the effect of antimony catalyst on DEG formation in the preparation of PET, this research also focused on the kinetics of DEG formation during PET synthesis from purified bishydroxyethyl terephthalate (BHET) monomer with antimony catalyst. The rate expression of DEG formation from BHET monomer and antimony catalyst was described. It was found that the activation energy of BHET monomer with antimony catalyst in DEG formation is lower than that of BHET monomer without the addition of catalyst. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 1797–1803, 1999     

Synthesis of poly(ester amide)s by the melt polycondensation of semiaromatic polyesters with ethanolamine and their characterization

Semiaromatic poly(ester amide)s (PEAs) were synthesized by the melt polycondensation of ethanolamine (EA) derivatives with dimethyl terephthalate and ethylene glycol in the presence of tetrabutyl titanate as a catalyst, and their crystallization and thermal properties were investigated. The introduction of an amide group into a semiaromatic polyester such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) produced PEAs (EA-modified PET polymers) with an increase in the melting point. However, these PEAs were found to decompose at a lower temperature than PET on the basis of TGA. Moreover, direct pyrolysis/mass spectrometry measurements suggested that an initial step of the thermal decomposition was a β-CH hydrogen-transfer reaction via asix-member ring transition state at the ester–ethylene–amide unit, at which carbon–oxygen bond scission took place to yield carboxyl and N-vinylamide end groups. Furthermore, molecular orbital calculations using trimer models bis[2-[[4-(methoxycarbonyl)benzoyl]oxy]ethyl]terephthalate, N-[2-[[4-(methoxycarbonyl)benzoyl]oxy]ethyl]-4-[2-[[4-(methoxycarbonyl)benzoyl]oxy]ethyloxycarbonyl]benzamide, and N,N′-bis[2-[[4-(methoxycarbonyl)benzoyl]oxy]ethyl]terephthalamide strongly supported the idea that the β-CH hydrogen-transfer reaction in the thermal decomposition of PEAs might occur more easily at the methylene group next to the amide group in an ester–ethylene–amide unit rather than at the methylene group next to the ester group in an ester–ethylene–ester unit. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 2184–2193, 2007     

LCP aromatic polyesters by esterolysis melt polymerization

Polyarylates have previously been synthesized from acetate esters via esterolysis (loss of methyl acetate). This polycondensation can be extended to p‐substituted aromatic monomers for liquid crystal polyesters (LCPs). For AB‐type polymers, methyl p‐acetoxybenzoate and methyl 6‐acetoxynaphthoate were copolymerized to an LCP with reasonable molecular weights. Benzoate esters, methyl 4‐benzoyloxybenzoate (MBB) and methyl 6‐benzoyloxy‐2‐naphthoate (MBN), are also investigated. Several tin and antimony oxide catalysts were effective. The rate of esterolysis polymerization of MBB and MBN is slower than that of the corresponding acidolysis melt polymerization, but fast enough to give relatively high‐molecular‐weight polymers and similar thermal stability as commercial LCP prepared by acidolysis. Using these alternative benzoyloxy groups significantly reduced the color problem, because ketene loss cannot occur. Esterolysis melt polymerizations leading to AB/AABB‐type LCPs were performed using either dimethyl 2,6‐naphthalene dicarboxylate (DMND) or dimethyl terephthalate (DMT) with methyl 4‐acetoxybenzoate and phenylhydroquinone diacetate with tin and antimony catalysts. DMT‐based monomer compositions show much faster polymerization than DMND‐based compositions using antimony oxide catalyst. All these LCPs show a T_g in the 140–170 °C range as a result of the inclusion of the naphthalene and/or phenyl hydroquinone units in the polymer chain. Compositions completely off‐balanced on either side still lead to relatively high‐molecular‐weight copolyesters because either excess monomer can be removed during polymerization. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 3586–3595, 2000     

Synthesis and characterization of telechelic polymethacrylates via RAFT polymerization

The reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization technique has been employed to synthesize linear α,ω ‐telechelic polymers with either hydroxyl or carboxyl end groups. Methyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, and butyl acrylate were polymerized with RAFT polymerization. The polymerizations exhibited the usual characteristics of living processes. Telechelic polymethacrylates were obtained from a hydroxyl monofunctional RAFT polymer with a two‐step chain‐end modification procedure of the dithioester end group. The procedure consisted of an aminolysis followed by a Michael addition on the resulting thiol. The different steps of the procedure were followed by detailed analysis. It was found that this route was always accompanied by side reactions, resulting in disulfides and hydrogen‐terminated polymer chains as side products next to the hydroxyl‐terminated telechelic polymers. Telechelic poly(butyl acrylates) with carboxyl end groups were produced in a single step procedure with difunctional trithiocarbonates as RAFT agents. The high yield in terms of end group functionality was confirmed by a new critical‐liquid‐chromatography method, in which the polymers were separated based on acid‐functionality and by mass spectrometry analysis. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 959–973, 2005